HARRSIBURG — New bridge weight restrictions announced by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation last week will likely hit residents of Monroe County hardest.

Of the 1,000 state and local bridges to receive new or reduced weight restrictions from the state, 53 of them are in Monroe County. That's better than one out of every 20 bridges on PennDOT's list.

PennDOT secretary Barry Schoch said Thursday the new restrictions would be put in place over the next few months. The goal is to extend the lifetime of the state's bridges, which are on average more than 50 years old.

"They're not unsafe," Schoch stressed. "We are restricting the weight so we can slow down the deterioration."

Schoch said bridges were added to the list because of engineering factors only.

Berks County will see 48 bridges with new weight restrictions, followed by Allegheny County with 46 bridges and Montgomery County with 44 bridges.

At the other end of the spectrum, Cameron County and Montour County each have only one bridge getting new postings.

Of the 53 soon-to-be posted bridges in Monroe County, 42 of them are owned by the state and the other 11 are controlled by local governments. Schoch said the department would work with local authorities to get the bridges marked with signs and to work out enforcement efforts.

The largest bridge affected by the restrictions is the Route 191 bridge over Analomink Creek, according to PennDOT.

Other major bridges subject to new or lower weight limits include two bridges on U.S. Route 209 over Kettle Creek and Pocono Creek, and bridges on Route 715 over McMichaels Creek and Pocono Creek.

"Those are heavily trafficked, and they have truck traffic, too," said Bob Phillips, president and CEO of the Greater Pocono Chamber of Commerce, which represents businesses in Monroe County and three neighboring counties.

Phillips said he expects individuals and businesses in the rural parts of the county to be most affected by the new restrictions, as it can be harder to detour around posted bridges.

Most drivers will not experience much inconvenience from the changes, but some businesses will, Schoch said.

That's because large vehicles such as tractor-trailers and construction trucks may need to detour around bridges no longer suited for their use.

Schoch said some bridges would have weight limits cut by as much as 20 percent, meaning bridges currently able to carry 40-ton trucks would be restricted to 32 tons and below.

Bridges currently approved for 30-ton vehicles could be lowered to 24 tons. That could be enough to limit access for school buses and emergency vehicles, in some cases.

Schoch and groups such as AAA said the added weight restrictions were necessary because state lawmakers failed to pass a transportation funding package earlier this year. Gov. Tom Corbett and legislative leaders have indicated a willingness to try again in the fall, but no one in Harrisburg is holding their breath.

Some have suggested that PennDOT's annual budget of more than $7 billion should be streamlined and prioritized toward road and bridge repairs before new taxes are raised to deal with the issue. PennDOT spends about $3.8 billion on its road and bridge programs.

Phillips said he understands state officials are under their own budget constraints, but hopes to see some action soon.

"You keep putting it off and you keep putting it off, and then eventually you have to deal with it," he said.